PALO ALTO — A man accused of attempting to burglarize cars was caught in the act Thursday when he opened the door of a private security car and found a security officer inside.

Police arrested Curtis Edward Jordan Jr., 52, of East Palo Alto, and booked him into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of felony attempted auto burglary and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

A private security officer reported the incident to police about 2:39 a.m. Thursday.

The private security officer, who was in his car in the 1400 block of Hamilton Avenue, saw a man walking down the block trying the door handles of parked vehicles.

The man then opened the door of the security officer’s unmarked sports utility vehicle.

The man ran away and Palo Alto police detained him without incident on Edgewood Drive and Newell Road a few minutes later, according to a police news release.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the city’s 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

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